You Saved Me
Friday
She stood at the full length mirror in Hannah Montana's closet; she put the finishing touches on her outfit and straightened her purple wig.
'Why did I let her talk me into this, I never even enjoy myself at 'Hannah' parties, well, at least I get to wear my new top.'
"Lily, or should I say Lola, are you ready?"
"Uh huh." I said sighing internally
"Well come on then, I have to ask Jackson for his car as mines stuffed and dad's exhausted, wish me luck." Miley said in her Hannah get-up walking down the stairs."
'You're doing this for Miley, she wants you to come, so just put on a smile and get down there'
'That's odd, Lily doesn't seem excited about going to this party, she normally has fun, oh well, I'll talk to her about it later, now to go ask goof ball if I can borrow his car.'
"Hey Jackson." She said plopping on to the couch next to him.
"No" he replied instantly.
"Wow that was fast, you don't even know what I was going to ask for."
"You were going to ask if you could borrow my car and the last person who drove it, dad, managed to take the door off it, so the answer is no." He said impressed by his own eavesdropping skills.
"Please, I need to get to this party and dads too tired to take us, please I'll do whatever you want, just please let me borrow it." I pleaded even clasping my hands together for effect.
"I have a proposition."
"I'm listening." I replied dreading what he was about to ask for.
"I will drive you to the party and home if, you, Hannah Montana, get me in"
"But..." I was about to protest.
"I won't even talk to you while were there, you won't even see me." He asked almost pleading himself.
"Ok, deal." I gave in; I knew this was my best option.
Later that night
'Here I am once again, sitting by myself at party full of people I don't know, who only know me because I'm Hannah's friend. Why did I agree to come, I'm bored and I haven't seen Hannah in over two hours, I'm going to go outside to get some air.'
As she walked outside onto the patio she noticed she was being followed. She turned to see three guys looking at her with grins on their faces. 'Great, their drunk' she thought as she lent against the wall. The next thing she knew one of them had pinned her to the wall she had been leaning against.
"Let go of me." She said in a tone much more confidant than she felt.
"We're just trying to have some fun, little lady." Said the most muscled one as he stroked her boob.
"Let go of…" She was cut off by another one putting his hand over her mouth.
'What am I going to do, I can't scream and his hands are all over me' I started to panic, and I wriggled as hard as I could but there were three of them and one of me. I started to cry. That's when I felt his hands on my jeans button. 'Oh my god, he's going to rape me!'
My jeans were completely undone and he was about to pull them down when I heard a familiar voice.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Jackson yelled as the guys just laughed.
"What are you going to do if we don't?"
"I'll call my reporter friend, you don't want your illegal activities on the evening news, do you?" He asked as he dialed a number on his cell and put the call on speaker.
"Hi Byron Jones, I might have a story for you."
He looked at the guys who were wide eyed at the mention of such a well known reporter.
"I'm listening Jackson" replied a voice all three guys recognized as Byron Jones.
"Do I have a story?" he asked looking at the biggest of the three guys.
"No, we're leaving, but get this, we don't appreciate people interrupting our fun so we will find you and you will be sorry." With that they left.
He closed his phone and ran to Lily; she had slumped down at the bottom of the wall and was crying really hard and shaking. He took her in his arms;
'I will never let anything happen to her ever again; I wish I had gotten here sooner.'
I felt Jackson embrace me so I turned and hung on to him, I never wanted to let go. I looked up to see him looking at me, tears forming in his eyes.
"Why are you crying" I said my voice very shaky
"I hate to see you like this, I can't believe what those assholes did to you, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner." He said letting the tears fall
"You couldn't have known, you saved me Jackson, you saved me." I said my hand going up to his face and wiping his tears, as he had done to me minutes earlier.
"Can you please take me home?"
"Of course, I'll just go and find Miley." He said standing and lifting her up with him.
"No, please don't tell Miley, could you take me home and come back for Miley, please? I asked
"Sure, let's get you home.
Lily clung to me the whole drive to her place, she even fell asleep on my shoulder for a few minutes, but she jerked awake and started crying again. Bad dream probably, she might have those for awhile.
I walked her up to her front door and even when her parents opened it she didn't let go, just looked at them, tears still falling. I felt I should explain.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Truscott, I'm Jackson, Miley's brother, Lily was attacked at the party tonight, I got rid of the guys who did it and brought her straight home."
"I can't believe it, my poor little girl." Mrs. Truscott spoke first.
"She didn't even want to go to that party, she never does but Miley convinces her and then ditches her 5 minutes in, now look what's happened, I'll take her up to her room, thank you Jackson, you been so good to Lily tonight." She said as she took Lily from my arms and headed upstairs.
"Your welcome." I said wishing I was going up instead.
"Mr. Truscott, would you please tell Lily if she ever needs to talk about tonight or anything else, to give me a call, here's my cell number."
"I will give her your message, and again thank you for bring our Lily home safe." He said putting the paper in his pocket and shaking my hand
Later that night
I was sitting in Jackson's car being driven home and I noticed he seemed sad and a little angry, not his normal mood after a party. He usually wouldn't shut up about all the hot girls he met and how many numbers he got, usually 3 if was lucky 4.
"What's up, your very quiet, no numbers tonight?" I joked.
"Just forget it Miley, I'm not in the mood." He snapped never moving his gaze from the road.
"Ok, just asking, what happened, a hot girl turn you down?" I said annoyed at him for snapping.
"No…"
"Ok, so anyway you will not believe who I was talking to tonight…" I started, ignoring Jackson's mood.
'I wanted to tell her what happened to Lily but I promised I wouldn't. 'So I sat there and gritted my teeth. We soon arrived home, and I realized she had been talking to me the whole time and I hadn't heard a word. I was too busy worrying about Lily, 'I'm so glad I got there in time, imagine if I hadn't, don't even go there.' I scolded myself.
"You coming in doofus?" Miley asked me.
She was at the front door and I was still sitting in the car with my belt on.
"Yeah." I snapped, I shouldn't have, it's not her fault.
Saturday
I had gotten a text message from Lily at 6.30 in the morning, it said she hadn't slept and wanted to meet to talk; so her dad had given her my message. I didn't hear my phone and woke at 10 had a quick shower and got dressed. As I was heading downstairs to grab a quick bite I heard Miles and my dad talking. I decided to eavesdrop.
"So what are your plans for today bud?"
"Oh I'm hanging out with Oliver because Lily's sick. Did you know she got Jackson to take her home from the party early and didn't even tell me?" Miley sounded concerned.
I wouldn't worry about it; she probably just wanted you to stay and have fun and not worry about her." My dad reassured her.
"Yeah, I suppose your right, it's just I called before and her mum didn't even let me talk to her and said she didn't want visitors, come on dad, I'm her best friend, why wouldn't she want to see me?"
'If only she knew.' I thought
"Maybe it's contagious and she doesn't want to give it to you, Hannah does have a meet and greet tomorrow." My dad always knew what to say.
"Well, maybe, anyway I got to go get ready, later Dad" Miley said passing me on the stairs.
When I got to the beach I saw her, sitting by herself looking out to sea. 'Man am I glad she text me.'
"Hey Lily." I said as I gave her a hug
"Hey Jackson." She said as our hands found each other.
"So how are you feeling?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.
"Tired, I don't think I've ever cried this much before." She replied, looking at the sea again.
"I just had to get out of my house, my parents are tiptoeing around me, and they don't know what to say, they just keep asking if I'm ok."
"That's rough, remember it's hard for them, you're their little girl; they're hurting too." I soothed.
"I know, they want us all to go to counseling, it's just, I'd rather go by myself."
"Have you told them that, I think they would understand?" I asked glad to hear she was taking steps to feel better.
"I'm not so sure; they were pretty upset when I told them I'm not going to the police."
"What! Lily you have to, those guys are out there and they could hurt other girls!" I said absolutely shocked.
"Jackson I can't, I can't sleep because I'm afraid they're going to come back, I can't retell what happened to the cops or a courtroom full of people, and if it got to court they'd be there, watching with those creepy smiles, watching me tell the court what they did to me, I can't do it, I just can't!" she said starting to cry.
"I'm sorry Lily, its ok, its ok; you don't have to, I'm sorry!" I said taking her in my arms.
We sat there for awhile, she held on to me and cried and I held her and stroked her back. 'I wish there was more I could do.'
At the same time Miley was walking to Rico's to meet Oliver, she stopped as she got to the beach. 'Oh my god, that's Lily and Jackson, what are they doing hugging, I can't believe her, her mum told me she was sick and she's out here with Jackson, wait, is she crying? She was interrupted from her thoughts as Oliver approached her and started talking. 'I have to find out what is going on, oh they're leaving, I guess I'll find out later.'
The rest of the weekend passed quietly for Lily she spent her time either in her room texting Jackson or on the beach talking to him. She was surprised at how caring he was and over the course of two days she had completely changed her mind about him. She used to see him as just Miley's goofy older brother but now she saw him as a sweet, sensitive and caring guy who she had to admit she had fallen for. She often got the feeling he liked her too. It was the way he looked at her, like he wanted to protect her from anything that could hurt her, but the sensible part of her brain told her that even if those looks meant what she thought they did, he was Miley's brother and Miley would never be ok with it.
Then Monday came, she had been dreading it all weekend, her parents said she didn't have to go if she didn't feel up to it, but she did and she didn't want to get behind, so she went. She told Miley and Oliver that she had had strep throat and it was contagious and her voice had been so affected you could barely understand what she was saying so she hadn't been able to even talk them on the phone. She is a bad liar and she wasn't sure they believed her but they seemed to. Everyday after school, after she had done her homework, she talked to Jackson either on the phone or by text. They talked about anything and everything. They became quite close and by Saturday she was feeling good enough to hang out with Miley.
Saturday
Lily had called and asked Miley if she was free to hang. Miley was, so they met at the beach and after hot guy spotting most of the afternoon, they went to Miley's to watch TV.
"So Lily, your feeling better now?" Miley asked.
"Yeah, I am; Miley, sorry about leaving the party early last weekend and not telling you its just I didn't want to interrupt your fun, your not mad are you?" Lily said hoping Miley wouldn't press the issue.
"No, its ok, but you know you can tell me anything, right?" She asked
"Yeah, of course." Lily replied, feeling guilty for keeping her secret.
"Good, so you good with watching Zombie High?"
"Yeah, I think tonight's is a rerun, it's the one Hannah's guest stars in." Lily said smiling as she remembered how 'Hannah' had had to kiss Demon Dog instead of Jake.
At this moment Jackson came down stairs and was very surprised to see Lily sitting in his living room. 'Good she must be feeling a bit better,' he thought as he gave her a smile which she returned.
"Dad I'm going to a movie with Coop." He said to his dad, who was sitting at the piano.
"Ok son, are you going to be home for dinner?"
"Yup, I'll be back by 7."
"Ok, bye."
Lily watched him leave and then settled down to watch Zombie High with Miley.
Later That Night
Lily looked at her watch, '8.30, where's Jackson, he said he'd be home at 7, something's wrong, I can feel it.'
"Miley, I just remembered something; I gotta go, see you." Lily said as she left so fast Miley didn't have time to respond.
As she neared the cinema, she got a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach; she had just passed the front door when she saw it. A lifeless body in the alleyway, 'It can't be, please god, don't let it be him, don't let it be Jackson!' She thought, as she ran towards the body she began to cry, it's him!
She knelt down and placed her fingers to his neck, she felt a very faint pulse, he had been very badly beaten, 'he's alive, oh my god he's alive!' She got out her cell and dialed 911; she took his hand and waited for the ambulance to arrive.
Once at the hospital, she was ushered into a waiting room as he was rushed into emergency surgery. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, and then she saw the doctor who had told her to wait. She rushed up to her, her pulse quickening.
"How is he, is he going to be ok?" she asked barely holding back her tears.
"He's in a coma and it's very touch and go for the first 24 hours but the surgery went fine, we managed to stop his internal bleeding but we had to remove his spleen, we then set the broken bones in his leg, he also has four broken ribs, and a fractured eye socket" She explained
"Can I see him, please?"
"Sure, oh his father and sister are on the way."
Lily thanked the doctor and went to see Jackson, when she entered his room she gasped. He was hooked up to several machines, and his broken leg was in traction. She took the seat nearest him and took his hand. She stroked his hair and then began to talk to him in the hope that he would hear her.
"Oh Jackson, I'm so sorry this is all my fault, if I had gone to the cops they would have got those guys and you wouldn't be lying here like this, please get better, I need you, please, don't leave me." She said as she laid her head on him and began to cry. A few seconds later she heard a faint voice.
"I'm not going anywhere." He said weakly
"Oh, Jackson, thank god you're ok." She said as she hugged him.
"Ahh." He said in pain as she hugged.
"Oh, your ribs, I'm sorry." She said going red.
"It's ok, oh and it's not your fault, you weren't ready for the trauma of telling the police, or the court, what happened to you, I understand, I mean you haven't even told Miles."
"I know, but if I had you wouldn't be here." She said trying to hold back her tears.
"Maybe, but if you hadn't found me in the alley next the cinema I wouldn't be here either I'd be…" he trailed off unable to finish his thought.
She hung her head, after what he had done for her and how he had been there for her, she couldn't imagine losing him. Sensing this he continued.
"The point is, you saved me Lily, you saved me." He finished.
"Jackson, there's something I want to tell you." She said not sure how she was going to say it.
"Ok, go ahead."
"The thing is finding you tonight and wondering if you were going make it or not made me realize that I don't want there to be anything left unsaid, you know between us." She paused to ready herself.
"Over this last week, I got to know you, the real you, not just Miley's goofy older brother…"
"You think I'm goofy?" he interrupted.
"I used to, now I see it as funny and sweet, anyway, as I was saying, the real you, the one I've gotten to know over the last week, I've kind of, well…fallen for, and I know we can't and you probably don't even like me like that and I…" she stopped when he placed his finger on her lips.
"Shoosh, Lily stop, I like you too, yes, in that way." He added when her saw her I'm-still-confused look.
"That's why this past week has been so hard for me, do you know how if feels to see a person you care so deeply about crying when you know there is nothing you can do or say that can that will make them feel better." He said as tears started to form.
"But Jackson, you did, you did make me feel better, if it weren't for you I would probably still be crying in my room, you have no idea how much you've done for me and what you mean to me." Lily said as she gently squeezed his hand.
"I think I have a fair idea" He replied as he smiled and returned the squeezed.
Unbeknownst to them their entire conversation had been witnessed by Miley and Robbie Ray. Who were standing at the door with looks of total surprise and confusion.
"I think ya'll better start from the top." Said a concerned looking Robbie Ray as he entered the room.
So Jackson and Lily told Miley and Robbie Ray everything that had happened, including what happened to Lily at the party, Lily apologized for lying and keeping a secret from Miley. Miley didn't say anything the whole time and when Jackson and Lily finished she got up with out a word and went to the window.
"I'm sorry Miley, please talk to me."
"Why Lily, why didn't you tell what really happened at the party, why did you lie to me?" Miley asked with tears forming in her eyes.
"I was scared."
"Of what?" Miley asked confused.
"I was scared you'd…blame…yourself." Lily answered.
"Huh, wait, Lily, do you blame me?" Miley asked now crying.
"No, Miley, I knew I would end up by myself, I should have just told you I didn't want to go, its just, you were so excited, I couldn't turn you down, I never can."
"Wait, you're telling me you never want to go to Hannah parties?"
"Well, yeah, you see, as soon as you get there you go and mix with your Hannah friends and I end up by myself, its great that you have Hannah friends and you only get to see them at parties that Hannah's invited to so of course you want to spend time with them, and I don't mind, it's just, I would rather not go than go and spend the night by myself." Lily explained feeling bad.
"Oh, I see, I guess your right, ok, if you don't want to go to Hannah parties, fine, I understand." Miley said being very understanding.
"Miley, are we ok." Lily asked
"Yeah, we're ok." She confirmed as they hugged.
A few days later Lily went over to Miley's but when she got there she got a text from Miley. It said she had been called to a Hannah thing and she would be back in a few hours. She was going to leave when she noticed that Jackson was inside to watching TV; he looked bored. She entered.
"Want company?"
"Hey, sure, thanks, I can't believe I'm going to say this but I was getting bored of TV."
"Wow." She faked surprise.
"Hey, if you're going to be mean you can go." He faked insulted.
"I'm kidding, so want do you want to do?"
"Strip poker!" he said as he picked up a deck of cards from the coffee table.
"Besides that?" she said laughing
"Strip scrabble!"
"How about last card?"
"Ok, what about…"
"No, not strip last card!" She cut him off
"I'll deal." She said picking up the deck.
"Ok, I'm just going to go to the toilet." He said picking up his crutches
"Need help?" her comment made him go red.
"Kidding, that you'll have to do on your own." She said bursting out laughing.
"You know, I could actually use your help." His comment made her go red.
"Gotcha!" he said laughing so hard he had to sit down
"Not funny, you really want me to see it, don't you?"
"No." he said going red again.
"Well, go on, don't want you peeing yourself." She said laughing.
"Yeah." He said going red again.
When he came back into the living room she was shuffling the cards, he had just sat down when a timer on the coffee table beeped.
"What was that reminding you of?" she asked.
"Oh just time for a new dressing, I can't do it myself, I'll just get dad to do it when he gets back."
"I'll do it." She said as she got up and went to get the dressing and ointment.
When she came and sat down he lifted his shirt, she gently took off the bandage already covering the surgery wound just below his ribs. She placed a small amount of ointment on her index finger and then placed it on the wound. She noticed him wince and make a face, she looked at him questioningly.
"It stings." He told her.
Hearing this she leant down until her face was centimeters from his chest, causing his eyes to grow wide, and began to gently blow on the wound soothing the stinging, then without thinking she gently kissed the wound. When she looked at him he was no longer making the face, his was making a very different one.
"Works every time." She said as she placed a new bandage on, his muscles twitching under her touch.
"There, done, that wasn't too bad was it?" she asked as she put away the ointment.
"Your better at it than my dad." He said smiling.
Neither knew that they were being watched by Miley and Robbie Ray who were quite surprised and amused by what they were seeing.
"Jackson." She said sitting back down.
"Yeah."
"I never said thank you for saving me that night at the party."
"It's ok, I'm just glad I did."
"I still want to say it."
"Ok." He said
"Thank You." She said as she went to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Unfortunately, seeing the movement in the corner of his eye he turned and they ended up kissing on the lips. Thought they knew they shouldn't, they didn't stop straight away and let it happen. They let it happen for a full 5 seconds. Lily thought it was the best kiss she'd ever had, Jackson didn't disagree.
"Your welcome."